When You're World Comes Crashing Down
by fictiongirl8
Summary: Picks up after Season 2 Finale. When Deacon's life hangs in the balance, it causes Rayna to truthfully consider her feelings for him and decide her future. (I don't own Nashville or any of its characters)
1. Chapter 1: Accidents

Rayna was lying in her bed, tossing and turning, doing anything but sleeping. Her lips were still tingling from Deacon's fiery kiss, and in her head she kept replaying the moment. Him pushing her against the counter, pressing the ring into her hand, everything he'd said. _"It's you, me, Maddie, and Daphne."_ His words still ringing in her ears.

Suddenly Rayna's phone lit up and began vibrating on her nightstand. It had been viciously ringing for the first few hours since she Luke's proposal that she had to shut the damn thing off or she swore it was going to explode. Rayna glanced at the clock, it was just shy of three in the morning. She had been receiving congratulatory messages and correspondence from the press all asking questions about every detail of the wedding that hadn't even crossed her mind. She could barely think about the when and the where and everything in between when Maddie and Daphne's devastated faces kept flashing in her head. Rayna turned her attention back to the phone ringing in her hand when she saw it was Scarlett's name lit up across the top.

No matter what Scarlett had decided to do with her career she was family to Rayna and always would be. It she was calling this late it must be important. Without hesitation answered the call.

"Scarlett, is everything alright?"

"I'm sorry to be calling you this late, you must be exhausted after tonight, and I'm sorry not to have gotten the chance to congratulate you but, something's happened." Scarlett managed to say in a shaky voice.

"What do you mean? Are you okay?" Rayna asked, concern coursing through her body.

"It's not me, it's Deacon."

Rayna's breath caught in her throat, and it felt as if someone had hit her in the stomach with a metal bat. Her mind was racing in a million different directions, but one thought screamed louder than the others. Seeing Luke propose, it was too much, he was drinking again.

Before Rayna could further think through this possibility Scarlett's voice sounded again through the line, "There was an accident, they don't know if he's going to be okay."


	2. Chapter 2: A Diamond, a Ring, the Truth

Scarlett began to explain what had happened, trying not to lose the little composure she had, while Rayna had gone into auto-pilot mode. She jumped out of bed, threw on the first clothes she could find, and brushed her hair and teeth faster than she ever had in her life. She had hung up with Scarlett after getting the details of where they were taking him, and promising she'd be there soon and to hang in there. Just as Rayna was about to head downstairs a shiny glint stopped her dead in her tracks, Luke's ring was still occupying her finger.

She ripped the ring off of her finger and placed it into her makeup bag inside her purse. Then she dug into her jewelry box and found a long silver chain and slipped the silver band onto it. Thankfully the chain was long enough that the band would lay under her blouse, right next to her heart, unnoticed and unseen by everyone else. With that she grabbed her keys and ran out the door.


	3. Chapter 3: Uncertain

Rayna stood outside Teddy's door, waiting for him to answer. She knew she didn't have the strength to tell him exactly what had happened over the phone, so she simply told him there was an emergency and she'd be at his place soon to explain. Finally, the door swung open and Teddy appeared, sleep still heavily in his eyes.

"Rayna, what the hell is going on, do you know what time it is?"

"I know, I know. But Deacon's in the hospital, he's been hurt, and I need to grab Maddie. I don't have much time to explain. Please just get her for me, and don't wake up Daphne, she doesn't need to know right now." Rayna said pleadingly, hoping he would easily comply and not ask her to explain further, because right now she couldn't.

"Okay, I'll get her. Why don't you come inside, sit down, we'll tell her together."

"No, I just...I can't. I just need to get to the hospital. Scarlett's there all alone, dealing with this by herself. I….I need to be there."

Teddy stood there for a moment and stared at her, his eyes glanced over her hand, and he raised his eyebrows at her when he saw her empty finger. He sighed and turned away to head up to Maddie bedroom.

Moments later Maddie was at the door, you could tell she was tired, her eyes slightly puffy, but with a look of concern on her face. Rayna silently wondered if the redness rimming her eyes was a result of the abrupt awakening or if she had been crying earlier tonight.

"Mom, what's going on? Why won't anyone tell me anything?"

"Come here, sweet girl," Rayna said wrapping her arms around her and they walked towards the car.

"Mom, just tell me what's wrong?"

Rayna took a deep breath as she tried to find the right words to say this. She always said she had kept Deacon away from Maddie to protect her and keep her from getting hurt, but she never imagined she would to deal with the pain of possibly losing Deacon forever.

"Maddie, Deacon's in the hospital, he's been hurt."

Immediately, tears began to flow from Maddie's eyes as she leaned into Rayna's embrace. Rayna had one arm on her back, trying to soothe her, remembering how she did this when she was little for every bruised knee and scraped elbow Maddie experienced.

A couple moments later, Maddie whispered, as if almost too scared to say the words out loud, "Is he going to make it?"

"I don't know, sweetie, I don't know."


	4. Chapter 4: Waiting

They drove in a heavy silence, with the exception of the Maddie's occasional sniffle. Rayna stared blankly at the road, following the GPS's directions to Vanderbilt Hospital, where Scarlett said he was being treated. She decided to turn the radio on and hopefully release some of the tension that was occupying the car. She tuned into one of her favorite country stations and quietly hummed along to an old George Strait song they were playing. Shortly after the song ended and the radio host's voice came booming through the speaker.

"_In honor of the Queen and King of Country getting hitched, next up is there #1 single, Ball and Chain."_

Immediately, Rayna hit the power button on the dashboard so quickly the intro guitar riff that was all too familiar to her ears didn't even get a chance to start. Maddie who was sleeping in the passenger seat, stirred a bit but thankfully wasn't awakened. "Silence was fine, silence was definitely better than that," Rayna thought to herself.

Eventually they pulled into the hospital entrance as Rayna circled around looking for a parking spot. When she killed the engine, Maddie slowly began to wake up and take in their surroundings. You could hear them both take deeps breaths as they walked towards the automatics doors that lead into the brightly lit waiting room.

Rayna approached the woman sitting at the desk and asked, "We're here for Deacon Claybourne, could you tell us what room he's in?"

"He's still in surgery right now, but I can direct you to the private family waiting room, I believe 's niece is expecting you."

Rayna smiled and thanked her, happy to be lead away from the open space where she began to see the expression of recognition on people's faces as they realized who she was. The very last thing she needed was one of them snapping a picture of her not wearing her new engagement ring while on her way to visit her old flame.

After being lead down various hallways, they were finally lead to a spacious room with leather seats, couches, and a few TVs hanging from the walls. To Rayna's surprise Scarlett wasn't the only one there, Juliette, Avery, Gunnar, and Zoey were also present and wearing looks of worry. Scarlett immediately walked over to them offering a shaky embrace.

"How you holding up?"

"I'm trying, doctors said he's gonna be in surgery for a couple more hours. I'm sorry, I probably should've mentioned that on the phone before I dragged y'all out here in the middle of the night."

"Hon, don't worry about it, I want to be here, for you, for Deacon," then directing her attention to Maddie she said, "maybe I should take you back to your dad's and I can come and get you once he's-"

"No. I'm not leaving, I want to wait here and be here when he gets out."

Rayna heard the determination in her voice, a stubbornness she recognized as a mix of her own and Deacon's, and decided she would never be able to convince her otherwise. It was going to be a long night, or morning, or whatever this ungodly hour was considered. Rayna walked over to the small coffee machine in the corner and poured the thick black liquid into the styrofoam cup. Once making herself as comfortable as she was ever going to get, Rayna glanced around the room at all of the people who had gathered here for Deacon.

She imagined in her head that usually in these types of situations families would gather to wait together, aunts and uncles you haven't seen in a while, cousins you barely remember. Well this is how they did family in Nashville. Here there didn't give a rats ass whose blood you shared, but a hell of a lot about the bonds you formed. Scarlett may have only been Deacon's niece but she knew that she looked up to him as a father figure. Maddie had only recently discovered Deacon was her biological father, but that didn't stop them from forming a strong connection. Juliette and Deacon had been brought together because of the similar demons they shared and were both learning to run from. Zoey, Avery, and Gunnar were connected to Deacon through music, as Deacon had become a mentor and idol to them.

And Rayna herself, she wondered why she was here. Her and Deacon had a complicated past that was filled with pain, heartbreak, but also intense and deep love. Then they had Maddie, which was what tied together their present and future. But that wasn't the only reason she had come, she still truly cared for Deacon, even all those years when she was married to Teddy they had always been friends through it all and had been there when the other needed someone to lean on. She remembered sitting at her father's bedside, feeling all alone, and it had been Deacon who was the one to comfort her and be there for her.

It was crazy to think how sometimes it took life-threatening events to occur in order to bring people together. She looked over at Juliette, who was currently being held in Avery's arms, Rayna smiled to herself, hoping that maybe they'd be able to work things out. Then she saw Scarlett who had her head resting on Zoey's shoulder, and Gunnar on the other side of her with one arm around Scarlett's back. From what Rayna could remember from the time Scarlett was at Highway 65, there had definitely been some strife between those three that seemed to have finally worked itself out. After seeing of them being brought together, Rayna felt a sudden sense of complete udder loneliness. In that moment she realized that the person who she had always had by her side was currently lying on an operating table fighting for his life.


	5. Chapter 5: Crazy Tonight

Rayna didn't know how long they had been waiting, but it had been long enough that she had memorized every crack and peeling piece of paint there was. For a moment she considered their current situation, and the irony was not at all lost on her. Suddenly, Rayna couldn't control the burst of laughter that came rolling out of her mouth. Five sets of eyes looked up at her with puzzled looks. Putting a hand over her mouth to try and suppress her laughter, Rayna scurried out of the room and collapsed in a pile of giggles on the side of the hallway. She could hear footsteps behind her as Juliette and Scarlett came racing out of the room. They exhaled a breath of relief when they saw she was laughing and not crying as they at first had thought, but were still extremely confused. Not knowing exactly how to approach the bizarre situation, they each sat down on one side of Rayna, joining her on the cool, tiled hospital floor.

Juliette decided to break the ice and said, "Somethin' funny that you might want to let us in on?"

"Deacon, the alcoholic, was hit by a drunk driver, while he was sober. Just a year ago I was the one here in a coma and everyone thought it was because he was driving drunk," Rayna explained as best she could through her laughter.

After the long, exhausting, and taxing night that had occurred, Juliette and Scarlett couldn't help but join in on her laughter. Whether it was from lack of sleep or the irony of it all, it felt good just to find a little bright spot in what seemed like one of their darkest nights. Once they had found a bit of self-composure and control, the ugly truth weighed down on them, bringing with it a heavy silence.

"And everyone thought I was crazy," Scarlett said, breaking the stillness that had taken residence over the three of them.

This caused them to break into another short fit of giggles.

"Aren't we all?" Juliette concluded.


	6. Chapter 6: The Ugly Truth

**Sorry for the long wait, more to come soon!**

Rayna had finally been able to get comfortable in the stiff, rigid chairs provided in the waiting room. Everyone seemed to adjust as best they could in order to get some much needed rest. Hours had gone by with them all peacefully drifting off when the doctor walked in, cleared her throat, and brought everyone back to reality.

Scarlett was the first to bolt up, panic coursing through her, "Is he okay? Is he out of surgery?"

"He is out of surgery and is currently resting in the ICU. He had some serious internal bleeding, a couple broken ribs, and there were complications during surgery which has currently left him in a coma."

Scarlett breathed in sharply at those last words, then gathering herself she asked, "Is he going to wake up from it?"

"The next couple hours are crucial, if he does wake up within that time period, he'll most likely make a full recovery, with no brain damage at all. But the farther he wavers from that time period, he could come out with disabilities."

Scarlett nodded slowly, a single tear escaping, slowly running down that side of her face. Rayna wrapped her arms around Maddie, who was standing off to the side of the conversation, but was well within ear-shot. She knew that she was trying not to cry, but she could see that the tears were welling up in her eyes.

"Can we see him now?" Scarlett asked in a small voice.

"Yes, one person at a time."

"Will he be able to hear us?"

"There's no way to be certain. Some patients, when they wake up, say they recall some of the things their loved ones said, and some have no recollection at all. But there is evidence to support that by talking to him, it sometime improves a patient's chances. Nothing is guaranteed or proven, but remind him he has something to fight for."

It was decided that Scarlett, Maddie, Rayna, and Juliette would be the ones to go in and see Deacon. Avery, Gunnar, and Zoey had politely declined, saying they wanted them to have their space and that they'd wait in the waiting room.

"Maddie, you know you don't have to go in and see him if you don't want to, he'd understand. There's going to be a lot of tubes and wires, and he might not look like the Deacon you're used to," Rayna said, reassuring her that she wouldn't be thought any less of if she wasn't able to handle seeing him like that.

"Mom, I've already done this before, I've been through this. I'm going to see Deacon."

Rayna winced at her words, but they were true. Maddie had already dealt with one parent gravely hurt in the hospital. It made Rayna sad to know that her daughter was so accustomed to have to deal with such tragedy, that she was used to having to deal with things like this at such a young age. Rayna wondered if she had said what she said to Maddie for her sake, or for her own. Was Rayna able to handle seeing Deacon like that, broken, hurt? She had sat by his bedside time after time when he'd gotten too drunk or had too many pills, but never in a situation like this. Never when the man lying in the bed was the man she always knew Deacon could be, the man she'd dream he'd become. A father, someone reliable, someone who could love her without hurting her.

"Scarlett, you can come in now," a nurse in scrubs called out from the waiting room doorway.


	7. Chapter 7: Scarlett

Scarlett had never liked hospitals ever since she was a little girl and she would visit her mama in the psych ward. After Scarlett's own breakdown she her dislike was only strengthened. When she found out about Deacon, she had been too worried about him to dwell on the fact that she would be spending some quality time within these hospital walls. But as the nurse lead her down the never ending hallway of rooms, the nerves of remembering where she was came flooding back.

"This is 's room, take as long as you'd like, I'll be at the beginning of the hallway at the nurse's station if you need anything."

"Thank you."

Scarlett closed her eyes and took a deep breath before entering the room. She took a moment to gather her courage, opened her eyes, and took a step forward. Honestly, Scarlett was surprised, she hadn't expected him to look so much like her Uncle Deacon. She'd expected him to be unrecognizable, but he was still himself. Sure there were tubes and wires coming out of him that connected to various other machines, but Scarlett was still able to see the man that had taught her to ride a bike. She walked over closer to his bedside and pulled a chair from the corner. She was afraid to touch him, scared that he might shatter at even the slightest touch. Instead she gently rested her hand over his. She wasn't sure what to say, she'd thought she'd see him and the words would find her but her mind was blank, so she just started saying the thoughts that were entering her mind aloud.

"After the breakdown, after Rayna released me from my contract, I was scared, because I didn't know who I was anymore, or who I was gonna be. When I first came to Nashville, I was Avery's girlfriend, and a waitress at the Bluebird, and that suited me just fine. Then I wasn't that, I was a songwriter, I was someone's partner, and then someone else's girlfriend. Then I wasn't any of that. I was the artist signed to Rayna's label, I was a singer, I was a performer. And then again, I wasn't any of that. I didn't know if I could create another version of myself, but then I remembered you. You were someone's guitar player for so long, you were someone's Uncle Deacon, and then you weren't any of that. For a little while you were a drunk, but you then you weren't. You had lost everything you thought you were. You couldn't do the one thing you thought made up the person you'd become and you lost yourself. And then you became someone else again. You became someone's dad, you became a father, you became a solo artist and you went back to fulfill a dream most people would've just left to die. I remembered the way you rebuilt your life, Deacon. You put people in it that kept you fighting everyday, you made it worth something, you gave yourself a new challenge, a new dream, a new something that defined you. And right now, you gotta fight to keep it. Fight to stay alive for the people that have kept you fighting. Fight for the life you've finally been able to build for yourself. You deserve it."

With that, Scarlett gently kissed his forehead and left the room to tell Juliette she could go in.


	8. Chapter 8: Juliette

Juliette was used to hospitals. Time and time again when her mama had too much to drink or had fallen in her drunken stupor, Juliette would be the one sitting by her bedside waiting with her latest boyfriend for her to be released. She'd sit and watch her mama sleep and braid her hair. She wasn't scarred from it, it didn't make her miss her to be in a hospital, it was just what was running through her mind as she stared at the plastered walls. When the nurse brought her to Deacon's room, she quietly sat down next to his bed, going over what she was going to say.

Kids are supposed to bury their parents, take care of them in their old age, and be with them when they pass. Juliette hadn't gotten that. She didn't have a chance to say all the things she wouldn't say unless she knew it was the last time she'd speak with her mama. She didn't get to tell her that even though what they'd been through she still loved her and was thankful for what she'd been able to give her. She had seriously thought about what she was going to say to Deacon. He'd become a good friend to her and in the process, someone she looked up to. Hell, if this could be their last conversation, or the one that could make a difference she was gonna damn well do it right.

"Deacon, there ain't anyone else whose fought more battles than you, ain't anybody who lost more battles than you, too. Yet you've kept fighting. You'd win a couple, lose a whole lot more, but that one win, it'd make you fight harder. Somehow you were able to put aside all those losses, and just take those wins, and you made it to the other side. And hell, just when you've figured out how to fight to win, life comes in and knocks you down, literally. Well, this is the fight of your life, Deacon. Can't back down now. You've faced down your past and looked the devil straight in the eye and laughed. Don't you let some truck be the one to take you out of the fight for good."

Juliette exhaled, proud of herself for saying all she wanted to say. She silently prayed Deacon could hear her, and that he was fighting like hell.


	9. Chapter 9: Maddie

**_Thanks for all the greats reviews, sorry it's taking so long but stay tuned, for those of you wondering Rayna's chapter is up next, more to come!_**

Maddie stood outside the doorway of Deacon's room.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Her mother asked her for about the hundredth time.

"Yes, mom, I'm sure."

"I wish I could go in with you."

"I'm fine, and besides, I have to do this alone."

Her mother hugged her tightly and kissed her forehead. Maddie was glad that she was in a good place with all her parents, maybe she was finally figuring how to balance the dynamic of her mom and both her dads.

"I'll be right down the hall if you need me." Rayna whispered, giving her should a tight squeeze before heading down the corridor.

Maddie took a deep breath and stepped into the brightly lit room. She was overwhelmed with the amount of machines and tubes that were connected to him, some beeped and others dripped. Somehow the combination of everything was what was helping to keep her dad alive. She sat down on the chair that was beside his bed and began to quickly blink her eyes. Maddie had made herself promise that she wouldn't cry when she went in to see him. Her voice wouldn't crack, she had to be strong so he would be strong. If he could hear her, she didn't want him to hear the pain in her voice, she wouldn't want him to be worrying about her, she just wanted him to focus on getting better. It amazed her how in such a short time someone could become such a big part of your life, and then you find out that that big piece might be taken away forever.

"I remember the first time I called you dad. I'd been thinking about it a lot before I said it. We were just talking on the phone and I kinda just blurted it out and I worried what you thought. And then I said it a couple other times, threw it in here or there during our lessons. It's crazy how there was a time when I had to think about calling you dad, cause now it's just so, normal. It's crazy to think that there was a time when you weren't my dad at all, because now you're such a big part of my life, and it's crazy to think how empty my life would be if I lost you. But despite how crazy it all seems, it's true. We missed out on so much together, memories, moments, years, we can never get back. And I always liked to think we had so much time ahead that we'd make it up. That maybe in 20 years, all the beginning stuff you missed wouldn't seem so big because you'd be there for so many other moments. But that can't happen if you're gone. You have to fight, Dad. I don't want to say I had you only for a couple months. I want years, I want you to be there for everything, I want you to see my prom, see me graduate, watch me sing at the Bluebird, walk me down the aisle at my wedding, and hold your grandkids. This can't be all we get. You have to wake up, Dad, you have to be there. Fight for those years, fight for those moments, fight to be my dad, fight for me."

By now tears were streaming down Maddie's face and she let out what she'd been holding in since they'd arrived at the hospital. She grabbed a handful of tissues from the box on the table and gently wiped her face. She gently dabbed her eyes hoping they weren't so puffy that her mom would be able to tell that she was crying. Maddie wasn't in the mood for a million motherly questions about if she was alright and what she was feeling or blah blah blah. Honestly she didn't really know if she was okay or what she felt, all she knew is that she just wanted her dad to be okay.


	10. Chapter 10: Rayna

Rayna stared at herself in the mirror. She hadn't had any time to put any makeup on and heavy bags were under her eyes from lack of sleep. Maddie had come back from seeing Deacon, Rayna could tell she had been crying but decided not to question her about it. She had excused herself to the bathroom, hoping to waste a few more minutes before seeing Deacon. She rubbed her temples in slow circles as she thought about what she was going to say. Give him something to fight for, that's what the doctor had said. But what was he supposed to fight for, Maddie, Scarlett, himself, her, them? As these thoughts swirled in her mind, the door to the bathroom swung open. It was Juliette.

"Oh, I thought you'd be with Deacon by now?"

"No, I'm just...just taking a minute."

"Not sure what to say."

"Yeah, something like that."

"Rayna, you always put everyone before yourself. Your girls, your career, your label, you always think about what _they_ need, what _they_ want. And god knows there are times when you should. But for God's sake, today is not the day for that. Be honest with yourself for one second and think about what you really want. If you want to be the hottest duo in country music living on a big ranch wearing a flashy ring, then fine. But if you want a life with the man that you've loved through everything, if you want to have your family, then go in there and make Deacon fight for it."

Rayna was left open mouthed and slightly shocked as Juliette turned away and left. She felt as if a bucket of ice water had been thrown on her. It was as if Juliette had seen right into Rayna's internal struggle and told her like it is. Two choices, two paths, two different lives, if only it was as simple as it seemed. Maybe it was, like choosing between left or right, heads or tails, even if the choice is easy, following through is hard. She couldn't put it off any longer, with a conflicted heart, Rayna headed to Deacon's room.

When she first saw him, she could feel her heartstrings being tugged at. He seemed so small surrounded by so many machines, unlike the strong man Rayna had always leaned on over the years. She could remember her calling asking if she could stay with him because her daddy had kicked her out, or when they'd lie awake at night and Rayna would tell him how scared she was of failing, of her daddy being right, and he'd reassure her and kiss her until all the fear faded away. Rayna grabbed his hand and squeezed it tightly between hers. It was surprisingly warm, Deacon was always warm, and his touch always had the power to make Rayna feel like she was on fire. She turned his hand over, traced her finger over his palm and onto each of his fingertips. His hand were rough and calloused, but yet gentle, kind and reassuring. Every strum, chord, notes, and song over the years helped to create this perfect touch, Deacon's touch. She remembered how they felt when he would gently brush her cheek or how they felt running up and down her body.

"God Deacon, how the hell did we get here. When did it all start to fall apart and get so complicated. It feels like we're so far off from that first day at the Bluebird, and at the same time it's like we've never moved. I'm probably not the first one to tell you, but you've gotta wake up, Deacon, because…"

Rayna took a deep breath and swallowed hard. This was it, there was no more standstill at a crossroads, she was choosing, and there would be no turning around, no way out, for once she was taking control of her life. Rayna slowly reached for the silver chain and slipped it over her head. Then she took the ring at the end of it and pressed it into Deacon's hand.

"Because you have to ask me to marry you again, so this time I can say yes, and you can put this ring on my finger for good. I love you, babe. And I swear to god Deacon Claybourne if you die I will never forgive you. So don't you get any ideas, your waking up and your going to be stuck married to me for the rest of your life."

Tears were streaming down Rayna's face but she hadn't felt to light and free in a long time. She leaned over and gently kissed Deacon's cheek. Rayna sat next to him like that for awhile. Just grasping his hand, feeling his warmth, and watching his relaxed face. She hadn't gotten to do this in so long. It was always quick glances, an accidental brush of the hand, and if she was lucky every so often, an intense, longing look that would be broken by someone walking into the room.

After letting herself enjoy a private moment of taking in the man she loved, Rayna decided it was time to go and start dealing with the world outside of the hospital. She slipped the chain back over her head and re-tucked it under her shirt. She whispered one last_ I love you_ into to Deacon's ear, gave him a soft, tender kiss on the cheek, and promised to be back soon.

As she was about to head back into the waiting room, one of the nurses called out, "Excuse me, Ms. Jaymes!"

Rayna stopped and turned to the nurse.

"These flowers were brought for , I was told to bring them to you first before placing them in 's room."

Rayna was confused as she reached out for the vase of flowers. She found a note attached, and surprisingly it had her name written on it. She opened the small ivory square, and it read:

_Rayna,_

_I guess Deacon isn't the only one who can deliver a good speech._

_-Luke_

" stopped by to see you and I informed him you were visiting , so he went to his room to find you. He told me to give this note to you."

Rayna tried to swallow the lump in her throat as she realized that Luke had heard her telling Deacon she loved him.

"Thank you, could you put these in Deacon...I mean 's room?" Rayna asked in a shaking voice, while shoving the note into her back pocket.

The nurse nodded and headed down the hall with the vase in tow. While let what had happened sink in, her phone buzzed in her pocket, there was a text from Luke.

_We need to talk. _


	11. Chapter 11: The Moon and Stars

**_This chapter was one of my favorite to write because after reading other fanfic stories I was surprised about how evil Luke was made out to be. I hope maybe this chapter gives a new perspective on him and gets you to see he's not such a bad guy after all._**

Rayna waited nervously, pacing back and forth on the pavement. It was just a little before noon, and she was where Luke and her had agreed to meet. It was a park about twenty minutes outside the heart of Nashville, private and hidden away from the media. Her heart began pounding faster as she heard the sound of his truck's tires spinning agains the gravel. Then she heard the thud of a door shutting and the crunching of boots as they made their way towards her. Luke eyes hadn't met hers once since he started her way. Guilt began to build up deep in the pit of her stomach.

"Hey," Rayna said, hoping to meet his gaze.

"Well, hey to you, too," he murmured sarcastically.

"Luke, I-" Rayna began.

"Don't!" He said sharply.

Rayna winced at his harshness, Luke's face softening as he saw her expression.

"Let's not beat around the bush, Rayna. What the hell was that? I know you guys have a child together and it's complicated, and he's your friend. But what the hell, Rayna. Did me getting down on one knee with a ring and you saying yes mean nothing to you?"

"Luke, I was just caught up in the moment." She replied defensively.

"You mean caught up in the moment when you saw the father of your child, the man you 'used' to love, lying in a hospital bed, or caught up in the moment when the man that you 'love' asked you to marry him in front of thousands of people?"

"That's not fair, Luke."

"To hell with fair! I ask you to spend the rest of your life with me and less than 24 hours later your at another guy's side begging for him to live so he can marry you. I know this is moving fast, and we wouldn't have to get married right away, we can take some time to get used to everything. But, Rayna, I gotta ask, do you love me or not?"

"I thought I did- I do. Just not in the way I know it's possible to be loved." Rayna replied softly.

"Might as well still be sitting at the top of that ferris wheel. Ain't nothing in this world gonna win over Rayna Jaymes's heart other than good ole' Deacon Claybourne, could of offered you the moon and stars, still ain't enough."

"I'm sorry, Luke. I'm sorry it took this long, took hurting you to figure out what I really want, what I need. I hope you find someone who loves you so much that they won't want the moon and stars, they'll only want you."

Rayna reached into her purse and slid out the ring Luke had given her. She placed it back into his palm and folded his finger's around it.

"I have to give this back, it never belonged to me in the first place."

"I'll have my manager call yours, they'll figure out the best way to present this publicly. Don't worry I'll lay low for awhile, won't say nothing."

"Thank you, Luke."

"And Rayna, I hope he pulls through."

With that they both walked there separate ways like they'd been meant to do in the first place. And that walk back to Rayna's car was the first step in the right direction that Rayna had taken in a long time.


	12. Chapter 12: Sing Me Back To You

**_Thanks for all the positive reviews, so glad to hear you like the story. I hope you continue reading, get ready, this one's a long one!_**

"Thanks, Bucky. Don't know where I'd be without you."

"Don't worry about it. Just go and be with him."

Rayna had just finished telling Bucky what had occurred in the last couple hours. As usual he did the Bucky thing that had made Rayna want him as her manager in the first place. When she said that he needed to talk with Luke's manager so they could set a plan in place to announce that they weren't getting married, he didn't question her or pry about what had happened. She knew he probably put two and two together when she said that she was going to be staying at the hospital until Deacon woke up, but all he said was to to take all the time she needed and that he'd hold down the fort.

Just as she was about to put her phone back into her pocket it began ringing again, it was Tandy. Rayna had been wondering when she was going to get this phone call, dreading it even. Her sister never let her get away with anything, she was about to go through a round of intense questioning that Rayna wasn't ready to face. Nonetheless, she answered.

"I just heard, Sweetie, how are you holding up?"

"I'm…..okay. The doctors are watching him, he's been stable, we got to go in and see him, so that's good."

"How's Maddie?"

"She putting up a strong front, but I think she's scared that she might lose him after just getting to know him."

"And you and Luke?"

"It's complicated."

"When is it never."

Rayna looked around, seeing if anyone was within earshot. The hallway was empty.

"Thousands, thousands, Tandy. When you've bet your house, your kid's home, on a newly released album, and the King of Country asks you to marry him in front of thousands of fans, you don't say no. I mean, of course I love Luke, I was ambushed, the girls were ambushed. I need to talk to them, see how they feel, and maybe one day down the line, but right now….I just wish he hadn't done it like that."

"The girls had been put through the ringer this year, so have you. I don't think a proposal is what you needed to top it off."

"Two, two proposals."

"No!" Tandy gasped from the other line.

"Yep, Deacon, god that man has the worst timing, since day one. Gave me our ring, said how we're meant to be a family."

"Did you answer him?"

"No, he left."

"And that's all?"

"Well, there was a kiss involved. And I might've kissed him back. And everything I thought I'd put away, buried, it all came back, I'm pretty sure it never left. Those feelings, that intense passion, our history, and god that man can kiss!"

"I'm pretty sure I know how this story ends."

"What do you mean?"

"I know you think you moved on with Luke, but anytime you and Deacon are in a room together, there's this sexual tension between you two, it's obvious to anyone within a foot of you guys. Then when him, you, and the girls sang at Fort Campbell, you should've seen the way you guys were looking at each other. Honey, you guys are always gonna be pulled back to each other one way or another, Luke proposing just sped up the process. So, am I right, what happened next?"

"Well, I went in, I saw Deacon, and that was it. Seeing him, seeing him like that, it made me realize if I really lost him, I…...just couldn't. You know when you flip a coin to make a choice, and then the minute it goes up in the air, you find yourself hoping it'll land on one side, and all that uncertainty goes away and you know what you wanted all along. Once Deacon life's was up in the air, I realized I wanted him, I need him."

"Have you and Luke talked?"

"Yeah, he's obviously hurt, but, it's the right thing."

"Do you need me to come down, moral support, change of clothes for you and Maddie?"

"That'd been great, and one more thing, I have an idea."

As promised Tandy come with an overnight bag in tow, and the other thing Rayna had requested, the guitar Deacon had recently given to Maddie.

"Thanks for bringing this."

"Of course, hon."

"Mom, why's my guitar here?" Maddie asked as she appeared in the doorframe of the waiting room.

Rayna grabbed the handle of the guitar case and walked over to Maddie, putting her remaining free arm around her shoulders.

"We're gonna go sing for your daddy."

Maddie had the guitar resting comfortably against her leg. She had badgered Rayna with questions all the way to Deacon's room.

"Are you and Luke still getting married?"

"No, we're not."

"Are you and Deacon?"

"I sure hope so."

Maddie smiled at that, "I knew he'd do it."

"Do what?"

"Well, I sorta said something along the lines of, 'you have to stop her, get her to change her mind' and he said, "how, propose to her myself' and I guess he did." Maddie concluded.

Rayna was brought back into the moment. Maddie was waiting silently, guitar pick in hand, for Rayna's instructions.

"Okay, play the song we talked about."

Rayna closed her eyes as she was brought back in time by the opening chords. She remembered all the times they'd performed this song, when they'd first written it laying wrapped up in the sheets of their bed at the cabin, and each time they'd look into each other's eyes singing this song, Rayna would never be able to deny their connection.

_Don't you try to tell me someone's waiting_

_They're not waiting for you_

_Oh and don't you try to tell me that you're wanted_

_That you're needed_

_Cause it's not true_

_I know why you're lonely_

_It's time you knew it too_

_No one will ever love you, no one will ever love you_

_No one will ever love you like I do_

"I'll save that part for you, babe, for when you wake up."

Maddie had asked if she could play a couple other songs. They'd decided on _A LIfe That's Good_ since it had so much meaning to them, and _Believing_ since it was the first song her and Deacon had written as father and daughter. Music was what had brought them together in the first place, chords and lyrics, it was the way they communicated, always had been. Deacon and music, they were the same thing to her, one always involved the other. And just like she couldn't imagine a her life without music she couldn't imagine her life without Deacon.


	13. Chapter 13: A Secret Burden

Maddie sat across from her, staring blankly down at her tray of food. Rayna had insisted that they go get something to eat, she could already see the heavy toll the past hours were taking on Maddie and the last thing she needed was to be missing meals. Maddie reluctantly agreed, although she didn't seem to be doing much eating as she was absentmindedly pushing her food around with her fork.

"Something wrong with your food, you haven't eaten much."

"Not hungry."

"I know your worried about Deacon but you've gotten eat something, it'll make you feel better."

"I'm not hungry and I don't want to feel better."

"What do you mean you don't want to feel better?"

"Nothing." Maddie murmured, her eyes glued to the table.

"Baby girl, I know that this is scary for you, but you can't shut me out now. We need each other. Please, talk to me, tell me what's going on."

"It's all my fault."

"What do you mean?"

"Everything. Every day since I went snooping has been my fault. I found the test, I told Deacon. Then you guys broke up and he got drunk, and you almost died. Maybe if I hadn't gone looking, if I hadn't told Deacon first, maybe you'd still be together and it would all be different."

Rayna was shocked and heartbroken. She'd understood Maddie's anger, her sadness, her confusion, expected it. But not this. It had never crossed her mind that Maddie felt the slightest bit responsible for the chain of events that had changed both their lives. She immediately dropped the fork she'd be stabbing into her salad, reached across the table, and grasped Maddie's hands.

"Now you listen here, none of this if your fault. Don't ever think that. Deacon and I both made our own decisions, we both did things that made it possible for what happened to happen, not you. I love you very much, and I know your dad does too, and I also know he would never want you to feel like this. Sweetie, some things in life happen for a reason. You finding out about your dad, it took a lot of hurt, pain, and confusion to get through that, but now you have someone else in your life who loves you more than anything else in the world, and that makes it all worth it. Okay?"

Maddie nodded, sighed a breath of relief. She had been holding in all this guilt, secretly carrying it with her. At first, she had been too mad at her mom to process much else. But once things settled she began to see how big of a role she played in it all. she felt better once things start to return to normal and she thought that if things kept going good, she'd feel less guilty. Then Luke proposed to her mom and Maddie wished she could go back to when Deacon and her mom started to be together again, before she'd turned their lives upside down. Having her mom reassure her, being released of this invisible burden, it gave Maddie hope that they'd all move on from this eventually, and end up where they were meant to.


	14. Chapter 14: Wake Me Up

"Don't you think she should come home, take a break, at least a change of scenery? It's unhealthy for her, sitting there, just waiting and hoping and all?"

"Teddy, she doesn't want to leave, I'm sure as hell not gonna force her."

"Rayna, it's been three days, she has school, an entire life outside those hospital walls that she needs to get back to. I don't understand why she needs to be there every second of every day."

"Because he's her dad, and she wants to be here when he wakes up and every moment until then. God forbid it was you in the hospital, do you think Deacon would be calling up, demanding she leave his bedside?"

"Rayna, is it Maddie or you who really doesn't want to leave? Did you fall for him again, now that he's in Maddie's life you think he's changed? You can't do this again, not to the girls, definitely not to Maddie. Just cause he's in that bed, it doesn't change anything, it doesn't change him. You weren't there, Rayna. You didn't have to tell them that there mother was in a coma. You didn't have to see their faces, the sadness and fear in their eyes. You can't go back there, for the girl's sake."

Rayna felt the sting of the words, but only for a moment. She understood everything that had happened between her and Deacon, she knew that it had caused her and those around her pain. But if she did what Teddy said, then she might as well be the same person fifteen years ago. Scared, pregnant, finding herself agreeing to marry Teddy, unsure of the father of her child. She couldn't change what happened, or what she decided, she didn't regret it, but she had learned from it.

"Goodbye, Teddy."

As she hung up the phone, a nurse emerged from around the corner of the hall.

" ?"

"Yes?"

"The doctor needs you in 's room immediately."

Rayna throat constricted and her heart stuttered. Her mind raced in a million different directions. She suddenly felt sick to her stomach, the blood pounding against her skull, everything was blurry.

She managed to choke out, "Is everything alright? Is he okay?"

"Yes, is awake, he's asking for you."


	15. Chapter 15: Do You Remember?

_Light._

That was the only word that came to mind to describe how Rayna felt. Somehow a burden that had been weighing down heavily on her shoulders had been lifted. Butterflies gently danced around her stomach.

_He's okay, he's alive. _

She thought to herself, replaying the words over and over again in her mind, trying to steady her breathing. It was taking all the self-control she could muster not to sprint towards his room, instead she patiently followed the nurse, her heels clicking against the tiled floor.

It felt as if Deacon's rooms was miles away from where the nurse had found her. It seemed like an eternity had passed when they finally reached his room. Rayna was about to run in and see him for herself. See his strong, brown, open eyes for herself, see his crooked smile that never failed to make her heart stop. When they finally arrived, Deacon's doctor was standing in the doorway of his room, making it impossible for Rayna to get a glimpse at Deacon.

"How is he?" Rayna asked eagerly.

"His mental capabilities are completely intact, as his memory seems to be. He's going to make a full recovery."

At those words Rayna exhaled a huge sigh of relief that she felt she'd been holding in since Scarlett had called her.

"So he remembers everything that happened before the accident?"

"Everything before the accident yes, but night of the accident, that hasn't been determined yet. Some patients subconsciously block out the night of the accident to protect them from the trauma. He may very well have remember everything else and have no memory issues in the future, and still not remember that particular night."

Rayna let that sink in. What if he didn't remember proposing to her, again? Deacons asks her to marry him, sober this time, and sure enough a drunk driver goes and knocks the memory right out of him. Then it occurred to her, he might not even remember Luke proposing to her. Did she have the courage to tell Deacon what happened that night, to tell Deacon that she loved him? And what if, without the memory of that night, he didn't feel the same way? The light, floating feeling that had surrounded Rayna moments ago, was replaced with a heavy pit in her stomach.

"Mom is it true?"

Maddie voice exclaimed exciting, interrupting Rayna's thoughts.

"It is, sweetie, he's alright."

"Well, how come you're not going in?"

"You go first, I'm gonna go and make sure they found Scarlett and told her. I'll be right behind you."

Maddie was already racing into his room before Rayna could even finish her sentence.

Rayna quickly took off, vaguely remembering Scarlett mentioning that she was going outside to make a phone call to Beverly. She found her, mid-conversation behind the hospital, pacing back and forth.

"Mama, the doctors here a very good at their jobs, no, you don't need to worry. You and me both know Deacon is as stubborn as hell, he does everything in his own time. No, no, no, don't trouble yourself coming all the way out here. I will, I promise I'll call if anything changes, okay mama, bye, love you too."

"Beverly?"

"Yeah, she wanted to come out to Nashville, stay here until Uncle Deacon gets betters, but I think I talked her out of it, at least I hope. I don't think I can handle another visit from her for a long while."

"No need. He's awake, we can go in and see him and all."

"Oh, thank heavens he's okay. Have you gone in to see him yet?"

"No, I wanted to come out and make sure you knew, but Maddie ran in there first chance she got."

"She's probably so relieved, knowing her daddy's gonna be okay."

"Bet you are too."

"And you?"

"Thinking that I might lose him, possibly forever, those were the scariest days of my life. Made me realize I can't life without him." Rayna answered, truthfully.

"I know you and him, you have your past and it's complicated, and I really do hope you guys work it out. And I know he did some horrible things when he found out about Maddie, but he was hurt too. He was so broken, it almost killed him, feeling that you betrayed him, lied to him. It took so long for him to find himself again, so please, don't hurt him again."

"That's the last thing I wanted, to hurt him."

"I know," Scarlett said softly, putting her hand over Rayna's, "I'm gonna go and see him now."

"I'm just gonna take a minute."

"Okay, but don't be too long, that man has waited fifteen years, I'm not sure how much longer he can take." Scarlett said with a smile.


	16. Chapter 16: In Your Arms

Rayna took a deep breath, she could do this, whatever happened they'd get through it, together, she hoped. She could hear his and Scarlett's voice filtering out into the hall where she was waiting, gathering the courage to walk in.

"Go on in, he's waiting for you,' Scarlett said, appearing in the doorway of Deacon's room.

She gave Rayna's hand an encouraging squeeze and flashed her a reassuring smile. Rayna took one more deep breath and then she stepped through the doorway. There he was, he was….Deacon. He was sitting up, giving her that dazzling smile, looking at her with those eyes, the kind that get Rayna a little hot and bothered, the kind he'd look at her with from across a crowded room and still manage to get her to shyly look away to try and hide her school girl blush.

"Hey," Rayna managed to whisper.

"Hey, darlin'"

"How are you, how ya feeling?"

"Pretty good for a guy who was hit by a truck."

"That's real funny, you're a funny man, Deacon Claybourne."

"Well, I'm your man." He replied, playfully smirking at Rayna.

"So you remember, that night, all of it?"

"Course I do, I'm not likely to forget the night I proposed to the woman I love, at least not a second time. Or when she said yes."

"You heard that, too?"

"Yes, I did. Now is there a reason you're all the way over there, and I'm lying here all alone."

Every emotion Rayna had been holding in, spilled over and came pouring out, the fear, the hurt. Tears running uncontrollably down her face, her whole body shaking as she ran towards Deacon. She bent down, letting their lips find each other. The kiss was passionate, hungry for desire. Finally being able to touch him, to feel his lips hot against hers, it made it real, that he was okay, and that he was hers.

"Don't you ever do that to me again, you hear," Rayna said breaking away from his lips.

He nodded, his hands cupping the sides of her faces.

"I thought, I thought you were….." Rayna choked out as sobs racked against her body.

"I know, I know you did. But it's okay, I'm here now, shhhhh," He murmured, gently stroking her hair.

The railing on the side of his hospital bed was making it pretty uncomfortable and made for an extremely awkward position. So, Deacon moved over to the opposite side of the bed, and patted the newly empty space bedside him.

"I'm afraid I'm gonna hurt you," Rayna said in response.

"You'd be hurting me more if you didn't. I'm fine, Ray. C'mere."

Rayna melted a little, okay a lot, at his nickname for her, it was her weakness, her own Achilles heel. She kicked off the shoes she'd been wearing and climbed into the bed, snuggling closer to him. A feeling a safety, filled Rayna as Deacon wrapped his strong arms around her. This, this is where she belonged, in his arms. She closed her eyes, taking in the moment, feeling his warmth radiating against her.

"I love you, Ray."

"I love you too, Deacon, more than anything."

He leaned down and kissed her again, softer, gentler, but still with so much feeling and emotion. They laid like that for awhile, Rayna enjoying just being in his arms, and Deacon happy to have her there.


	17. Chapter 17: What's A Kardashian?

**Hope you**** guys have enjoyed the way the last couple chapters have played out. Thank for all the positive reviews and hope there are many more to come. Don't worry, definitely a lot more ****ahead for Deacon and Rayna, not done yet! Enjoy!**

"Bucky, I'm sorry I can't. You're just gonna have to handle things while I'm gone. I know the press still thinks we're engaged, right now I don't care about keeping up appearances," Rayan said, adamantly, "No, I told you I'm not leaving till he's released from the hospital," she whispered.

It was about the hundredth call she received all day. They would be sitting, talking about the girls, fantasizing about the wedding, and then it would go off. Rayna would politely answer and just as politely tell whoever it was at the other end that she was dealing with her family and couldn't make it to whatever event there were calling about.

Deacon could just manage to make out what Bucky was saying.

"Rayna, radio stations are dying to have you on the air and talk about your album, which is selling like crazy, the press wants to see you and Luke together, and there are decisions about Highway 65 that need to be made, demos to be listened to. I know you want to be there for him but you can't throw everything else up in the air and hope it doesn't all go to hell."

"But-"

"I'm sorry, Rayna, there's only so much I can do to handle all the aspects of your career right now. I can't just become you and go to all the press engagements and talk shows for you. You need to come back to reality and deal with all this before things start to really break down."

Rayna sighed, "You're right, Bucky, I'll talk to you later, thanks."

Deacon knew he was right. Rayna had barely left the hospital since his accident, only leaving to get more clothes to come back. He knew her career desperately needed her and the girls, who have staying with Teddy, missed her liked crazy. It wasn't fair for her to put everything else on hold and wait until he was better to deal with the rest of her life.

"It's okay, Ray. Go, go be Rayna Jaymes, Queen of Country. I'm not going anywhere, and I'll be waiting for you when you're done."

"No, Deacon, I'm not leaving until I know you're better, everything else is just going to have to wait."

"You heard what the doctor said, their just waiting for my incisions to heal a bit more, and then I'll be good as new. No point in you waiting around for it to happen. Take a couple days off from being my caretaker, you haven't been outside these walls in a week. Go, I promise I'll be fine here."

"Fine, but just for a couple hours, I'll go to the office sign a bunch of forms, I'll be back tonight," Rayne said, kissing him for a moment then gathering up her purse.

"Go, spend some time with the girls, don't even think about coming back for a couple days, at least."

"I'll try, but I'm calling you tonight then."

"Rayna," Deacon said, warningly.

"Okay, okay, I'm going, love you!" She called halfway out the door.

"Love you too, Ray," Deacon replied, although she wasn't sure she heard him.

It was the right thing to do, he knew that. But the minute she left, Deacon felt extremely alone. For the past few days he'd pretty much always had someone visiting even when Rayna had to run an errand or attend one of the girls' school functions. Juliette, Scarlett, Avery, someone would usually take a shift, even Zoey and Gunnar had come and they'd had a small jam session, showing off some of their new work. Maddie had been here a lot, but Deacon and Rayna had both agreed that she didn't need to miss anymore school, so she mostly hung around on the weekends. Daphne had come once too, but as far as she knew, Rayna was still engaged to Luke, which made for some pretty awkward moments. They'd both had to remember not to hold hands, or give each other a natural hello and goodbye kiss, Rayna even had to catch herself one day when she was about to say I love you on her way out. But Deacon didn't mind at all, even if they had to pretend for a little while, he knew it was worth it in the long run.

Deacon sighed, deciding what he was going to do for the rest of the day. He reached over and grabbed the TV remote off the side table and pressed the on button. There weren't many options, but he recognized a few of the titles. You see, once he became a dad to a teenage girl he had to become familiar with some things. Like how shows like _Pretty Little Liars_ got added to his DVR and how makeup was always getting on his counter. It had taken some getting used to, but he began to understand that it all came with the territory. He finally settled on something called, Keeping Up With The Kardashians, what the hell was a Kardashian? He'd have to ask Maddie the next time she came to visit.


	18. Chapter 18: I'm Coming Home

"Are you sure?" Rayna asked the doctor.

"Positive, Deacon is medically cleared to go home."

This wasn't what Rayna had been expecting. They'd been told that Deacon probably wouldn't be released for another week. She felt relieved that he was healthy enough to go home, just a weeks ago Rayna wasn't even sure he was going to make it. But she also worried, in the hospital they'd been living in their own little bubble. They'd been able to spend so much time together, Rayna publicly using the excuse that she wanted to be there for her longtime friend and colleague while he recovered. It didn't seem out of the ordinary that she would spend a lot of time at the hospital, everyone knew they were still good friends and after all he was the father of her child. Some knew better than to believe that, specifically Teddy who would glare at Rayna knowingly when he came to pick up the girls and Luke who would look at her with hurt and hatred in his eyes whenever they had to attend a public event.

The media was still under the impression that they were happily engaged and headed down the aisle soon. Both of their managers and publicists decided that they would both appear on GMA to announce their split, saying their decision was mutual and they were parting as friends, once Deacon was out of the hospital and Rayna felt comfortable leaving Nashville. They'd had to attend a few events together which had been extremely awkward, Luke subtly handing Rayna back the ring to wear for show. They barely touched, even when Luke put his arm around her he was stiff and tense, and the smiles they showed were fake and forced. Once they'd even had to perform Ball and Chain, the crowd going crazy seeing them sing it together, and Luke giving her a brief kiss on the lips due to the high demand from the audience. They'd both separately had to deal with being asked about wedding plans during radio interviews and if they were going to combine their performances and go on a power couple mega tour. Rayna would brush off their probing questions saying that she hadn't thought about the details much and that they hadn't decided anything yet. To say the least, any interaction between them or mention of their engagement was uncomfortable for both of them.

Rayna had a feeling that this was easy part, pretending to be with Luke, she imagined that things will be harder once people know the truth. And even worse once they figure out her and Deacon are back together, that they're even engaged. But in the end, she really didn't care what they thought anymore, she'd wasted too much of her life considering other people's image of her and her decisions. She was taking control, Rayna reminded herself.

"So, what are we gonna do, ya know, when I get out?" Deacon asked Rayna, drawing her out from her own thoughts.

"You know how much I want to take you home with me, and take care of you. But Daphne still doesn't know about us and I don't want this to be rushed or for her to feel like this is all being forced on her. I think I should tell her first, see how she takes it and go from there. I wanna do this right."

"I think your right, we gotta take this slow, especially for the girl's sake. So I'll go back home and stay with Scarlett, and you and I will see each other every chance we get."

"I'm gonna miss being able to see you all the time, whenever I want to," Rayna said as she nuzzled a little closer to him.

"Well, I think there might be some benefits to this. Like I'll be standing up straight, and not stuck in a hospital bed, and I'll get to wear real clothes and not a hospital gown."

"Hmmm, I'm not sure about the clothes parts."

"Yeah, and why is that?"

"Hospital gowns don't have buttons, easier to take off," Rayna said as she leaned up to kiss him suggestively.


	19. I'm Gonna Make This Place Your Home

The day had finally come, Deacon was actually being released from the hospital. They had it planned out that Rayna would come and help him gather his belongings he'd accumulated during the couple weeks he'd been in the hospital. She'd even stopped at his house to bring him some normal clothes to change into. Scarlett was going to take Deacon back to his house but Rayna would follow, making sure he got settled in. It was going to be a few days before they saw each other again, Rayna was going to have the girls back with her full-time since they'd been mostly staying with Teddy and Rayna taking them on the weekends while Deacon recovered. She had countless appearances to scheduled along with getting the girls to where they needed to be. It was going to be a big change from seeing Deacon every day to calling each other and meeting up every couple days. Her and Luke's GMA appearance was on the horizon but appearances needed to be maintained until then. If her and Deacon were ever going to meet up they had to be extremely careful not to be photographed.

It was weird for Rayna to be back in Deacon's house, a house that used to be her's too, really it had be their's. Memories were engraved in every part of the house, from the fireplace they used lay in front of, to the living room floor that was the birthplace of a couple hits, to their bedroom where there love was made. Rayna smiled to herself as she walked through and saw hints of Maddie incorporated into the house. Her picture up on the mantel, her guitar in the corner, her jacket thrown across an armchair. It was weird to think that this had become more of Maddie's home and less of Rayna's. She went into their old bedroom, which had now become Deacon's. She found his dresser, opening a few of the drawers in search of his clothes. Deacon had pretty much had the same wardrobe over the years, plaid shirts and jeans, which made picking an outfit fairly easy. She recognized most of them, a few she'd purchased for him herself. She was still looking for his sock drawer when she opened the only drawer she hadn't looked in at the bottom of the dresser. Her breath caught a little when she saw what was inside.

A white blouse, a pair of jeans, a couple t-shirts, of hers, remnants from the time when she lived here. They were photographs of her and Deacon from the early days, them on the road doing their tours, singing their songs. Then a couple more recent ones. Him with the girls backstage, another with just him and Maddie holding guitars, most likely from an impromptu guitar lesson they occasionally had at her shows. There were even letters she'd written him from when he was in rehab, saying how much she missed him, how happy she was that he was trying to get better. He kept this stuff all those years, holding on to pieces of them, part of the past, holding out hope that they had a future. She put the contents of the drawer back and slowly closed it, taking Deacon's clothes with her. As she left the house, she hoped that it'd been one of the last times she left feeling a stranger to it, and that maybe it would become her home again.


	20. So Show Me Family

Rayna pulled behind Scarlett's car that was parked in front of Deacon's house. Maddie had of course insisted that she wanted to be there when Deacon came home, so then Daphne had to come along to.

"We'll probably only stay for a little, Deacon's most likely tired and he still needs his rest to recover," Rayna said to the girls.

They nodded as if they were listening. As Rayna unlocked the car door the girls jumped out of their seats like horses at a race when the gates open. Deacon was already settled in on the couch by the time Rayna reached the front door. He had his guitar in his hands and Maddie the same. They both had that same look of ease and comfort when they were playing, the instrument just an extension of their own body. Rayna remembered how nervous she got when Maddie started getting older and having more definitive features. Sometimes she'd be holding her breath when Maddie was around Deacon. She wondered how he didn't see it like she did. How he couldn't tell she was his. To Rayna it was a flashing neon sign. The way her eyes would look when she was thinking hard about something. She was scared Deacon would take one look at Maddie and ask Rayna why she didn't tell him Maddie was his daughter.

The familiar chords that Maddie and Deacon were playing brought her mind back to Deacon's living room. Daphne and Maddie began singing the intro to A Life That's Good. Rayna and Deacon both joined in at the chorus, their eyes locked to each other the entire time. They went through a couple other songs, some of their owns, or a favorite they had. Rayna glanced at her phone, shocked at what time it was.

"Oh my god, we've been her for two hours. You girls gotta get to bed, you guys have school tomorrow."

Both girls groaned and complained, saying that it wasn't even that late.

"Your mama's right, you guys should probably be getting to bed, I know I'm beat."

"C'mon y'all, let's get going."

The girls went and said there goodbyes, Deacon promising Maddie that they'd set a another date for their next sleepover.

Rayna went and gave him a hug that was too brief for her liking.

"Thank you for being there," Deacon said was he walked them to the door.

"Of course. I l-" Rayna said, catching herself just in time.

"We've been friends for so long, I'll always be there for you." Rayna said, squeezing Deacon's arm, hoping the girls had noticed her slip up.

He smiled back shutting the door as they walked to the car. Rayna had Maddie on one side and Daphne on the other, an arm wrapped around each of them.

"Mama, you know it's okay, you can say you love Deacon. I know, I can tell when you look at him."

Rayna looked down in surprise at her youngest daughter, so young and innocent, but so knowing and perceptive.

"And how do you feel about that?" Rayna asked hesitantly.

"I think…...I think I like it. I don't think you should marry Luke, he's just not…...family."


	21. I Think I'm Gonna Marry You

"What about a pink dress, white's too boring. With sparkles, ooooooo lots of sparkles!" Daphne suggested excitedly.

"This isn't a birthday party, it's a wedding. The bride _has_ to wear white," Maddie replied, shaking her head.

They'd been at it like this for hours, fighting for creative control of _her_ wedding. So far Rayna was getting married on a beach in Hawaii or the Ryman Auditorium, and they were still deciding between pink or purple for the bridesmaids dresses, or both. Rayna was at least happy that they were so excited about the wedding, even if their bickering was driving her nuts.

"Can't we just go to city hall tomorrow and get it over with?" Rayna whispered to Deacon.

"You wish. You're not getting out of this so easily," he replied with a smirk on his face.

"I don't want the big white wedding, I don't need a one at all. Just you and me at the courthouse."

"Those girls would be crushed if they didn't get to be in the wedding, and besides I'm pretty sure Tandy would have a fit if she didn't get to be there. Babe, it's gonna be your day, whatever day you choose, this is your wedding."

"Ours, our wedding. But it should be small."

"Mhmmmm," Deacon nodded in agreement.

"Us, the girls, Tandy, Bucky, Juliette, and a couple other close friends."

"And none of those stuffy suits, those things make me itchy," Deacon chimed in.

"No big white wedding dress that make me look like a cake topper either," Rayna added.

"See, it's not so bad. Plus I heard the groom is pretty good looking."

"Is that so? I heard the bride pretty hot, too."

"Not even close, you're beautiful," Deacon said, staring into her eyes intensely.

He leaned in closer to her, gently meeting her lips, feeling how perfectly they matched each other.

"Ewww, are they making out?" Daphne said in disgust.

"That's just gross," Maddie replied.

Rayna and Deacon's lip parted just enough to laugh at their daughters' horror.

"I guess that comforting to hear, at least she won't be interested in boys anytime soon," Deacon murmured into Rayna's ear.

"I wouldn't be so sure. You know, I was only a year older than her when I fell in love with you," Rayna pointed out.

A look of fear and shock ran across Deacon's face, making Rayna burst into a fit of giggles.

"No dating till she's at least 25," Deacon stated.

"You wish," Rayna replied.

Thinking of her own relationship with her father when it came to boys, Rayna was comforted in knowing that Maddie would have not one, but two pillars of support when it came to dating. She was pretty sure that Maddie and boys was one of the few things both Teddy and Deacon could agree on.


	22. Here Comes the Bride

"Rayna, if you don't hurry up, I swear you'll miss your own wedding!" Tandy shouted.

"Good lord, I've known that man 25 years, if he doesn't know by now that I'm not on time to anything then God help him. I'm sure he already told everyone to come an hour later knowing me. I kept him waiting a decade or two, another couple minutes won't kill him."

Tandy huffed away in frustration and defeat.

Rayna was still surrounded by her team of stylists, putting the finishing touches on her hair and makeup. Her hair was done in long, loose curls and her makeup was minimal and natural looking. Her dress was from one of her longtime friend, designers who knew exactly what she'd been looking for. A simple, off-white dress, with cap sleeves and lace detailing paired with Rayna's favorite, weathered pair of brown, leather cowboy boots. The only jewelry Rayna was wearing was her mother's diamond stud earrings, Rayna's something old and borrowed, and her engagement band. Deacon had fought her in insisting he get her something more flashy and modern while Rayna was adamant that it was only ring she would ever want or wear. She finally agreed on letting him get her a basic diamond set on a silver band, which he'd had engraved with their initials and the girls'.

"Okay, you're ready to go," said one of Rayna's stylists.

She took a deep breath as she stood up, examining herself in front of the full length mirror. She looked exactly how she'd imagined she would. Both of them had worked to make this the wedding what they wanted, and not what everyone else had, from the guest list to the cake. There would be no press covering the ceremony or dinner, just one photographer to capture all the important moments, plus their two-tech savvy girls. Watty had gotten ordained just for them, it was only fitting since he was what had brought them together in the first place.

Even though only 25 people would be in attendance, butterflies fluttered in Rayna's stomach. She knew in the deepest part of her that not one of them had to do with her choice of groom, she'd dreamed of marrying Deacon from the moment she'd laid eyes on him. She was more worried about not tripping down the aisle. An image of Deacon waiting for her at the other end, smiling as she walked towards him, eased her completely. After all, he was her best friend, her partner, her soulmate, and nothing else mattered. She remembered what he'd said to her as they started planning the wedding.

"You know you're gonna have to help me through all this wedding stuff. It is my first."

"I will, I guess it's a good things it's my last," Rayna had replied.

Rayna could hear the sound of the band beginning to play drift into the room.

Tandy peeked her head around the door, "Are you ready?" this time more gentler than before.

"Yes, I am," Rayna said, sure of herself.

Tandy handed her the bouquet of wildflowers she'd picked out.

"This is it," Rayna said quietly.

Tandy squeezed her hand tightly, in a small gesture of reassurance.

"No, it's only the beginning, sweetie."


	23. All Dressed in White

**Definitely not my last chapter, still so much more to come. Thanks for being so patient and for all the ****great reviews which have kept me writing. Although Deyna shippers might have been throwing the remotes at their TVs in frustration, hopefully this will brighten your day until the Nashville writers decide to finally give us what we want!**

Rayna's arm was wrapped tightly around Bucky's as they began their descent down the aisle. Rayna's own father was never much of one, and Bucky had been there for her from the very beginning. He'd been overjoyed when she'd asked him to give her away. The band, made up of some local musicians, were playing an acoustic version of Memories of Us. The girls had just gone down the aisle, both in pale pink dresses with short cowboy boots. As they turned the corner she finally met his gaze. Deacon was smiling from cheek to cheek, looking especially good in his jeans and boots. Rayna glanced over the many smiling and familiar faces, but she only had eyes for him, what else was new.

"I love you," Deacon mouthed to her.

"I love you, too," she mouthed back.

After what seemed like the longest walk of her life, they finally reached the alter. Bucky kissed her cheek as he handed her off to Deacon's waiting open arms.

"You're gorgeous," he said, meeting her lips for kiss.

For a moment Rayna forgot about where they were or who was watching, the only thing she was aware of was his lips on hers

"And this is why Rayna and Deacon never got anything done out on the road back then," Watty interjected, bringing them both back into the moment.

A light laughter circulated through the room.

"I've known these two, well for as long as they've known each other. And I'll never forget the day they sang together for the first time. Something happened that day, something that very few people ever get to experience. Something clicked, something magical occurred, and their lives were changed forever, although no one was sure back then, today we can say for the better. I think we all know they took the long route to get here, but today is about celebrating that they have. So, I'll let them take it from here, Deacon."

He nodded and reach in his pocket, pulling out a piece of paper. Rayna took a closer look and recognized the logo on it, it was a napkin from the Bluebird. Tears were welling up in her eyes at the significance.

"Ray, the first time I laid eyes on you at the Bluebird, I knew you were it for me, that you were everything. I sat there that day and wrote the song, "A Life That's Good" on a Bluebird napkin. That was the first promise I ever made to you, and I know I didn't make good on a lot of them, but this is one I intend to keep. So it's only right that I write these promises right where I put the first. I promise to give you a home, a family, and someone you can always lean on. We've been a lot of things over the years, best friends, lovers, songwriting partners, co-parents, and made it to today, where you given me the honor to be your husband. I always knew that I didn't deserve you, that every minute I was lucky to have you by my side, but I hope that I've become the man you deserve, and that I'll earn your love each day of our lives. I love our girls, our family, us, I love you, Ray.

By now tears were running down Rayna's face, and Deacon caressed her cheek and gently brushed them away. Most of the guests too, had tears in their eyes, all over come by the emotion in his words.

"There'd be no Rayna Jaymes without Deacon Claybourne, I've always said that, because nothing could be more true. Everything that is what it is today, my career, my family, it's all because you have been in my life. But aside from all that, I wouldn't be me. You are this permanent piece of me, and when someone is that much a part of you, the rest of you can't survive without it. And I've always known I loved you, and I always will, that was never a question, but it took me so long to figure out that I needed you. That as much as I thought I'd let you go, let us go, you were still there, and nothing could change that. You've been the most patient man, and I've kept you waiting for so long, but that just makes this moment sweeter, knowing it's been a long time coming. I love you, babe."

"You may kiss your bride."

Rayna wrapped her arms around his neck and put his hands on her waist. Their lips melted together like so many times before, matching each other perfectly. It seemed as if they'd travelled through hell and back to get here, but it was worth it. 25 years in the making, but they'd made it. Finally.


End file.
